THE QUEEN'S MEDAL FOR MUSIC 2010 TO GO TO EMMA
KIRKBY

LONDON, 21 JANUARY 2011  Queen Elizabeth II has approved the
award of Her Majesty's Medal for Music for the year 2010 to Dame Emma
Kirkby, an English soprano who specializes in early music.

Dame Emma will be presented with the Medal by The Queen at an audience
later this year, but an informal announcement will be made by Sir Peter
Maxwell Davies, the Master of The Queens Music (a post like that of the
Poet Laureate), at St Johns, Smith Square, on 26 January, where Dame Emma
is performing.

Dame Emma is the sixth winner of the award, which was introduced in
2005 and is made annually to an individual (or group of musicians) judged
to have had a major influence on the musical life of the nation. Previous
winners are Sir
Charles Mackerras (2005), Bryn Terfel (2006), Professor Judith Weir
(2007), Kathryn Tickell (2008) and Sir Colin Davis (2009).

Dame Emma said she was "very pleased and grateful" to receive the
Award. She said: "I feel extremely lucky to have worked so many years with
excellent colleagues, both singers and instrumentalists, in the revival of
music from the richest eras of our national heritage; this is repertoire
offering joy and fulfilment to players and listeners alike and I am happy
to see so many younger artists now adding their own voices to the
endeavour." Sir Peter Maxwell Davies said: "I think it's marvellous that
the world of early music has been recognised in this year's Queens Medal
for Music, particularly that the award is going to Dame Emma Kirkby, who
has done more than anybody to put this music in the centre of our musical
consciousness."

Background

1. The nominating process for the recipient of the medal is overseen by
a Music Committee under the chairmanship of the Master of The Queens
Music, Sir Peter Maxwell Davies.